Chapter 276: with translation of chapter title

276. Chapter 276: Immortal Court withdraws, the scheme laid bare.

In the eyes of the Duke of the East and others, Yinglong was arrogant, but to the gods watching this battle at that moment, he became an unrivaled power.

Yet such an outstanding person could only, under the shadow of the Heavenly Court, become a sharp weapon, unable to break free.

Qi and others dwelt high above the heavenly realm, overlooking the nine heavens and ten earths, taking in all changes of the world, forming alliances and strategies, pleased with themselves, yet they could not see the deceit of human hearts.

The mighty Wu Clan, possessing top-tier combat power like the Twelve Ancestral Witches, yet under the Heavenly Court's remote control, they lingered in Xifang Dalu.

Occasionally a strong warrior, the Duke of the East, wishing to contend, took advantage of heavenly timing and earthly advantage to establish the Immortal Court, but was then confronted by Yinglong at his door, his dignity swept away.

At this moment, the gods could not help but ponder how much room they truly had to spread their wings in the world today.

Yet the gods' thoughts could not affect the battlefield's changes at that moment; Yinglong's Xuantian Sword, inlaid with the dragon pearl, combined with the Way of Battle, its might astonished even the heavens.

Even the Duke of the East, Mo Xuanzi, and Bai Yunjun, three quasi-sages, were forced to flee east and west under Yinglong's attack, unable to resist.

The lack of life and cultivation, coupled with a breakthrough gained by cutting corners, laid bare the limitations of the Immortal Dao.

Insufficient foundation and inadequate accumulation inevitably lead to constraints when facing enemies.

"I give you one last chance: hand over the culprit and move Penglai Immortal Island away from the East Sea, or else the Immortal Court will fall today!"

The Duke of the East's sleeves were torn, Bai Yunjun's crown was cut off, and Mo Xuanzi was pinned to a boulder by Yinglong's Xuantian Sword.

Gazing at Yinglong standing resolutely in the high sky, although his breath was somewhat disordered, the gap made everyone feel as if facing a heavenly chasm.

Hong Yun could not hold back, preparing to step forward to mediate, but with just a slight movement of his foot, Zhen Yuanzi grabbed his sleeve.

Seeing Zhen Yuanzi's small head shake to stop him, Hong Yun hesitated repeatedly, yet ultimately did not step forward.

The Duke of the East's face flushed, the anger and humiliation in his eyes barely concealable; knowing he had no chance of victory, he finally gritted his teeth and spoke:

"The Immortal Court and Penglai Island can withdraw from the East Sea, but I will never hand over that person; the scheme involved, you yourselves know."

"I am no match for you, and I accept defeat. But please, spare where you can; if we truly fight to the death, I do not believe the dragon clan could remain unscathed!"

As the Duke of the East's words fell, a high-grade spiritual treasure appeared in his hand, thrown toward Yinglong—namely, the Vast Ocean Sea-Stabilizing Hammer offered by the three.

Yinglong also knew not to press too far; since his goal was achieved and the other side would withdraw from the East Sea, he naturally had no need to drag the dragon clan into a life-or-death struggle with them.

The Vast Ocean Sea-Stabilizing Hammer fell into Yinglong's hand, which he casually put away; a mere high-grade innate spiritual treasure was not worth continued fighting.

Now that the Duke of the East had compromised and handed over a famed treasure, revealing the scheme, he naturally could not press further.

Although he now held the advantage, if he truly provoked the other side into desperation, the outcome would surely be mutual loss, which does not serve the dragon clan's interests.

"Within a thousand years, the Penglai Immortal Court will withdraw from the East Sea—do not think I speak without warning. Sound the recall, withdraw troops!"

As Yinglong's words fell, the horn signaling the recall and withdrawal sounded mournfully, spreading across the sea.

The dragon clan's navy gradually retreated; the defenders on Penglai Immortal Island were not strong, but that turtle shell was indeed tough to crack.

They stirred up several huge waves, combined with the Three Lights Divine Water, yet still could not prevail; if they could break it, Yinglong would likely have to withdraw only the Immortal Court.

Only after the dragon clan's navy withdrew did Yinglong recall his Xuantian Sword, swallow the dragon pearl back into his belly, turn, and depart.

During this period, no one in the Penglai Sea dared to move, fearing to provoke his misunderstanding and invite a calamity of extermination.

As he turned to leave, Yinglong glanced back; his eyes showed no ripple, yet it made the Duke of the East feel that a scar, unforgettable forever, had been left upon his heart.

Whenever he recalled it, this feeling of utter humiliation would linger in his mind; as long as Yinglong lives, this demon cannot be dispelled.

Only after Yinglong's silhouette vanished did the Duke of the East and others slowly return to the island. Seeing the solemn expressions of the gods before him, the Duke of the East could only force a smile and say:

"Sorry, this is the fault of Mugong. Given the current situation, this Immortal Court assembly probably cannot be held; I hope fellow Daoists will forgive us, and each may go their own way."

"After Penglai is moved, Mugong will personally visit each fellow Daoist's residence to offer apologies again."

Having spoken, the Duke of the East bowed with fist in palm in apology, then, no longer wishing to attend to the crowd, returned desolately to his Immortal Court hall.

Bai Yunjun and Mo Xuanzi could only smile wryly at this, likewise bowing with fist in palm in apology, then departing together.

Today the Immortal Court has utterly lost face; if it wishes to regain its prestige, it must first overcome the Yinglong obstacle.

Otherwise, not to mention contending with the Heavenly Court, even to stand tall before outsiders would require extra effort.

Guests came and went in twos and threes; the Immortal Court folk saw them off in silence, the atmosphere dead still—Hong Yun also wanted to go comfort them, but in the end was still dragged away by Zhen Yuanzi.

For this, many silently cursed their bad luck in their hearts. Having come as guests, bearing gifts, they had hoped to experience the grandeur of the Immortal Dao assembly.

Yet before they could even sit down to eat, a malicious guest arrived, and they themselves barely avoided being hit by a huge wave mixed with the Three Lights Divine Water churned up by the dragon clan—truly, misfortune upon misfortune!

Facing the complaints of fellow travelers, some with a calm and optimistic mindset advised their friends:

"Alright, don't keep complaining; this is not the Immortal Court's fault either. Moreover, the gifts we presented are just ordinary."

"Look at Zhen Yuanzi, a famed innate deity; his gift was even more rare—a ginseng fruit, a true heavenly-earth treasure. Yet the outcome was no different from ours, was it?"

"If we talk about losses, those big shots of theirs suffered far more!"

"We're just talking about trivialities; let's relax—being able to witness this great battle today already makes the trip worthwhile."

In this affair, the dragon clan regained prestige; under heaven, none dare to look down on the dragon clan's people anymore.

Although the Immortal Court lost face, it was not without gain. The Duke of the East would rather relocate Penglai Immortal Island than abandon his subordinates.

This scene was witnessed by many cultivators, etched in their minds, and also gained them considerable popularity.

Although compared to their losses, it was merely a drop in the bucket.

As numerous guests dispersed one after another, the two from the West, Jieyin and Zhunti, however, remained inactive.

After everyone had left, they instead went against the flow, heading to the Immortal Court hall to seek the Duke of the East.

They had indeed heard that the dragon clan would drive out Penglai Immortal Island together with the Immortal Court from the East Sea. For the Western Continent, this was truly a genuine opportunity!

According to the current state of the primordial wilderness, the South Sea and North Sea are also not easy places to deal with.

The Southern Continent is small in area, capable of bearing only few beings; if the Immortal Court were to go there, it would merely be confined to one region, and speaking of the future, it would even be less favorable than going to the Western Continent.

As for the Northern Continent, it is even more perilous; though vast, it is the homeland of the Heavenly Court's heavyweight Kunpeng, and Yu Qiang is no kind soul either.

The Heavenly Court could set such a trap with Yinglong; in the Northern Continent, it could easily be repeated. Even Jieyin and Zhunti had already devised a method for the Heavenly Court: find a pretext, provoke the Immortal Court to anger the Northern beings, then have Yu Qiang go to the Heavenly Court to lament, whereupon Kunpeng would act, reenacting the East Sea affair.

As for Kunpeng's strength, that needs no consideration; after all, he is heaven-and-earth swift. If one cannot beat him, could one still not get entangled? If the Heavenly Court were to take sides in the fray, the Immortal Court would surely suffer grave vital harm; thinking of this, Jieyin and Zhunti almost laughed out loud.

Now, for some reason, the Wu Clan always manages to locate the whereabouts of the Western beings they lead, surrounding and suppressing them on all sides, causing considerable losses—precisely when they lack strength.

And now the celestial court and Penglai Immortal Island have been driven away; if we could lure them into the West, even if there are schemes of the Heavenly Court involved, it would undoubtedly be a honey we cannot refuse.

After all, the West is impoverished, and Penglai Immortal Island, as one of the top-tier blessed lands in the present wilderness, could greatly enhance the West's foundation.

Moreover, the people of the celestial court are a gathering of outstanding talents; to Jieyin and Zhunti, they are genuine, substantial manpower.

In the past, getting Dong Wanggong to lend a hand always required painstaking persuasion and promising many benefits, but if the celestial court enters the West, it will directly clash with the Wu Clan.

There's no need for them to keep urging; those barbarians of the Wu Clan will themselves come into conflict with the celestial court.

At this moment, Jieyin and Zhunti also saw through the Heavenly Court's scheme, feeling surprised and somewhat resentful.

They abandon a continent, merely maintaining nominal rule, directly treating it as a disposable pawn for dealing with rebellious forces, letting them slaughter each other at will on that land.

This not only astonishes them at the Heavenly Court's tactics, but also fills them with resentment at its heartless cruelty.

However, Jieyin and Zhunti also feel relieved in their hearts, for it is fortunate that Dong Wanggong's earlier behavior was overly unrestrained, drawing the Heavenly Court's attention; otherwise, these elite disciples would have had no chance to enter the West.

Furthermore, if the celestial court could expel the Wu Clan from Xifang Dalu and properly govern it, Jieyin and Zhunti would have no objection to supporting their rule.

Even if the Heavenly Court could treat the eastern and western continents equally, they would not mind abandoning the celestial court at a critical moment to secure a better future for Xifang Dalu.

They do not care how outsiders view them or their reputation; they regard it as dirt, they only want the West to regain its former glory.

All they want is the West—the West that once had many innate deities, a prosperous populace, and could rival the eastern continent in renown.

It is precisely because Qi and Di Jun, among others, have seen this point that the Heavenly Court has never regarded Jieyin and Zhunti as a major threat.

After all, as long as the West remains within the Heavenly Court's domain, whether it is strong or weak makes no difference to the Heavenly Court.

By this point, Jieyin and Zhunti have also understood the reasoning, and naturally their hearts regain hope.

The Heavenly Court fears the Wu Clan's growth and the strength of the Immortal Dao, which would affect their rule, hence the present situation.

Initially, they, as sworn brothers, momentarily gave in to greed and offended the Heavenly Court, so the Heavenly Court took advantage, transferred the West's essence, and then ushered the Wu Clan inside.

They imposed restrictions, confining the Wu Clan to a single place; and now the celestial court's suffering this scheme is merely the Heavenly Court repeating the same tactic.

It is nothing more than wanting to replay the scenario when the Wu Clan first entered the West, letting the two forces that could potentially rebel against the Heavenly Court generate friction and fight, thereby consuming their own foundations.

The Heavenly Court continues to loom high in the heavenly realm, overseeing the remaining three continents, thus able to stay aloof and develop in peace.

At this moment, Jieyin and Zhunti believe that the celestial court can only go to Xifang Dalu; otherwise, incidents like today in the wilderness will keep repeating.

Dong Wanggong is no fool; his ambitions are great, and being able to arrange such a situation, he must be aware of it.

Moreover, the myriad gods, as indifferent observers, can clearly perceive the Heavenly Court's motives; for this reason they are wary, though it remains unknown whether they will express approval or disapproval.

Upon entering the hall, Jieyin and Zhunti looked at the now decadent Dong Wanggong and could not help but urge: 'Fellow Daoist, why be so decadent? The East Sea cannot be retained, but in the vast wilderness there is always a place to settle.'

Dong Wanggong merely glanced, his eyes hiding a mocking intent, though he could not show it.

These two are adept at scheming; since he can still perceive the Heavenly Court's plots, Jieyin and Zhunti naturally cannot remain ignorant.

However, Dong Wanggong leading the celestial court to the West would best serve Jieyin and Zhunti's interests; yet now he puts on this hypocritical act—how could he not be mocked?

As for whether Dong Wanggong is truly decadent, he naturally is somewhat so.

After great effort to open up the situation, it is easily ruined by the Heavenly Court's casual meddling, inevitably making him feel a sense of helplessness.

However, asking him to abandon contention with the Heavenly Court is impossible; thus, facing Jieyin and Zhunti's hypocritical concern, Dong Wanggong speaks with a tone of frustrated weakness:

"What are you two Daoists doing? The Heavenly Court's scheming against us leaves us with no strength to retaliate; such a gap is truly heaven and earth apart."

"Contending with them is like a mayfly shaking a tree; how can I muster any spirit?"

"Fellow Daoists, from now on just call me Wood Duke; the name Dong Wanggong is truly beyond this humble Daoist to bear."

Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged glances, not believing the other would be so easily discouraged to give up, yet seeing this behavior, they cannot help but feel a hint of doubt.

"Fellow Daoist Dong Wanggong, you need not be so; although the East Sea can no longer be held, my sworn brother and I still have some dignity on Xifang Dalu, and the West Sea is vast enough for the celestial court to remain."

"Although it is the Heavenly Court's scheme, it is also not without a broad path; if we could expel the Wu Clan, holding a domain and with our two assistance, we could indeed contend with the Heavenly Court."

The two sides began to tug over this matter, with Jieyin and Zhunti hoping to rekindle Dong Wanggong's ambition and make a comeback on Xifang Dalu.

The Duke, however, flatly refused, saying he had no spirit left and intended only to devote himself to spreading the Immortal Dao in gratitude for the Dao Ancestor's personal endorsement.

Until Zhunti, suddenly as if thinking of something, he spoke up:

"Fellow Daoist Dong Wanggong, you need not be so; if you come to the West, the affairs of the West should be led by you."

Jieyin, seeing Dong Wanggong hear these words, slightly revealed a smile, only then realizing that his aim lay here.

In response to Zhunti's proposal, Dong Wanggong smiled apologetically and said: "The West has long been led by the two Daoists, but if I were to go, taking the lead would be improper."

Upon hearing this, Jieyin and Zhunti were somewhat speechless; if it truly is improper, why change your attitude?

Yet, because they needed to oppose the Wu Clan and could not do without it, the celestial court's strength left them no choice but to grit their teeth and urge again.

They frankly stated that Dong Wanggong was appointed by the Dao Ancestor, the foremost male immortal of the world, master of pure Yang Qi, and taking charge of the West is a blessing for the West, on which they have no second thoughts.

After such repeated tugging, Dong Wanggong put on the appearance of yielding only because of your two's enthusiastic invitation, reluctantly agreeing to let the celestial court go to the West.

This act disgusted Jieyin and Zhunti enough, but they could only force a smile and directly praise Dong Wanggong's righteousness.

Fortunately, they do not care who holds the leadership of the West's affairs, as long as the opposing side can resist and expel the Wu Clan, Jieyin and Zhunti will not object.

If they did care about who leads Xifang Dalu, this incident would likely cause the two sides to part ways.

PS: Today's update is complete; everyone, rest early, good night! (End of chapter)